Powerful Proteins

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This is an exciting time for families with kids going back to school! We know how much meal preparation goes into trying to feed them healthy foods. From a dental perspective, certain meals and snacks have amino acids/proteins which effect oral health. Amino acids (AA) are needed in biosynthesis of proteins. Our bodies can synthesize some AA (i.e. Glutamine), but they are also found in foods and drinks, such as milk. Various AA may affect the oral bacteria and pH levels, and are being further developed as caries protective therapies. Glutamine
  • is the most abundant free amino acid in the body
  • sources include: beef, pork, poultry, milk, yogurt, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, raw spinach, cabbage, and parsley (Ehrlich, 2015)
  • may alter the immune response because a byproduct of glutamine metabolism (Glutathione) protects against oxidant injury
Lysine
  • an essential AA in humans, which means that the body cannot synthesize it and must be obtained from the diet
  • sources include: red meat, pork, and poultry, cheese, particularly parmesan, cod, sardines, eggs, Soybeans, Spirulina, Fenugreek seed (Ehrlich, 2015). It is important for proper growth and may help the body absorb calcium
  • helps form collagen, a substance important for bones and connective tissues including skin, cartilage and tendons
  • taking lysine on a regular basis may help prevent outbreaks of Herpetic cold sores (does not reduce the severity/duration/symptoms/ healing time), just reduce recurrences (Ehrlich, 2015).
Theanine
  • an AA only found in green tea and some mushrooms
  • Green tea also promotes periodontal health by reducing inflammation, preventing bone resorption and limiting the growth of certain bacteria associated with periodontal diseases (Chatterjee, 2012)
Arginine (Arg)
  • found in all protein containing foods (except gelatin)
  • Sources include red meat, fish, eggs, fowl and dairy, beans, sprouts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, walnuts, quinoa, grains, corn, nuts, leafy greens (spinach), lentils, soy, whole grains
  • Raises the pH level in the mouth and reduce the amount of time teeth are exposed to acid (demineralization)
Protein
  • direct cause & effect relationship b/w protein and dental caries has yet to be shown.
  • protein rich sources peptides include milk, cheese, eggs and plants. All dairy contain casein (found in highest concentrations in cheese)
  • bovine milk contains about ~80% casein and 20% whey (water, proteins, minerals, lactose) (Haug, 2007). High dairy content is correlated with decreased periodontal disease (Wilson, 2009).
Protein- Energy Malnutrition (PEM) As you can see, amino acids and proteins have many beneficial effects on oral health. If there is a protein deficiency, a person may have  delayed tooth eruption and educed tooth size, dependent on when deficiency occurs (Sheetal, 2013) There may also be salivary gland atrophy and dysfunction (Sheetal, 2013). On a topical level, various AA may change the oral microflora by preventing the growth of oral bacteria and slow the formation of plaque. On a broad level, proteins allow for proper tooth development and salivary gland function. There will be more research and development regarding AA and proteins as caries preventative agents in the future. Let us know what your favorite protein packed meals are! Many of you may be throwing some yummy foods on the grill this Labor Day! Have fun and stay safe 🙂 Until next time, Lynne
  • References:
  1. Ástvaldsdóttir A, et al. Arginine and Caries Prevention: A Systematic Review. Caries Res. 2016.
  2. Chatterjee, Anirban, et al. \”Green tea: A boon for periodontal and general health.\”Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology 2 (2012): 161. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3459493/
  3. Ehrlich, Steven. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Guide, University of Maryland Medical Center, 5 Aug. 2015, www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2017.
  4. Haug, Anna, Arne T. Høstmark, and Odd M. Harstad. \”Bovine milk in human nutrition–a review.\”Lipids in health and disease 1 (2007): 25.
  5. Sheetal, Aparna, et al. \”Malnutrition and its oral outcome–a review.\” Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR1 (2013): 178.
  6. Wilson, Michael, ed. Food constituents and oral health: current status and future prospects. Elsevier, 2009.
 

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